Mauritania

Population:

3.2 mn.

GDP:

3.6 bn.

Debt:

2.6 bn.

Overview:

President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz will keep qualified western backing for his authoritarian regime
premised on his fight against insurgents linked to Al-Qaida in the
Islamic Maghreb. Pro-democracy protests will grow as economic conditions
remain poor. New investors will look at the gold, oil and uranium
prospects.